Beowulf: The Last Battle (56)
Name______________________________________
Date____________________________Hr_________
Almost all legends that deal with dragon have huge hoards of valuable treasure that they guard.
Dragons were proverbial creatures representing greed.
1. Is it a pagan or a Christian ideal that drive Beowulf to fight the dragon in the last battle? Please
explain your answer using context from this section of the book.
2. What happens to Beowulf in the last battle?
3. Who is Wiglaf?
4. According to Wiglaf, what is Beowulf’s relationship with his followers like? (read lines 745-772)
5. Who kills the dragon? ___________________________________________________________
6. Does Beowulf fight for his own glory or God’s glory? __________________________________
7. When Wiglaf brings out the treasure to Beowulf, why does Beowulf give him his necklace? What does
that represent?
The Farewell: Why does Beowulf as for a tower to be built?
8. Sum it up: Although Beowulf is brave and Grendel is spiteful, both might be said to act out of pride.
Explain.
9. Beowulf’s defeat of Grendel might be described as the defeat of the “dark side”of the warrior’s life.
Explain.
10. Frustrated pride may lead to spite, just as loyalty may lead to vengeance, and eagerness for glory
may turn into greed. Explain how each creature Beowulf battles represents an extreme and dangerous
form of warrior values and behavior.